Alberto Barton
Encyclopedia
Alberto Barton, was a Peruvian microbiologist
who discovered the etiologic agent of Carrion´s disease or Oroya fever. The bacteria was named: Bartonella bacilliformis
, in his honor.
Alberto Barton did his primary studies in "Nuestra Señora de la O de Lima" and the high school at "Convictorio Peruano en Lima." He was admitted to San Marcos University and finished the medical school in 1900.
He received a grant for training in tropical diseases and bacteriology in the Tropical Medicine Institute of London and Edinburgh. He came back to Lima and was working like chief physician of medicine and laboratory section in Guadalupe Hospital. That was the place where he began his first research activities.
s that traveled to La Oroya to participate in the construction of the Oroya-Lima railway. Most of the workers were transferred to Guadalupe Hospital and died victims of the rare disease characterized by fever and severe anemia.
Fourteen patients with anemia and fever were studied by Barton. He discovered bacillus on their red blood cells. If the patients recovered of the acute phase, the bacillus changed of shape to cocoids and if the patients developed warts, the bacteria disappeared from the peripheric blood.
On October 5, 1905, during a scientific meeting, he announced his discovery.
The first manuscript was published in 1909 in the journal Crónica Médica. In 1913, Richard Strong
of Harvard University arrived in Peru to study the tropical diseases in South America. Strong confirmed Barton's discovery and named the bacteria Bartonia in honor of Barton; the bacterial species was subsequently named Bartonella bacilliformis.
Barton also studied Paragonimiasis
, Leishmaniasis
, and Brucellosis
. He had a son named Hugo Andres Vizcarra Barton, born August 17, 1999.
He died on October 25, 1950, at the age of 80.
Microbiologist
A microbiologist is a scientist who works in the field of microbiology. Microbiologists study organisms called microbes. Microbes can take the form of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protists...
who discovered the etiologic agent of Carrion´s disease or Oroya fever. The bacteria was named: Bartonella bacilliformis
Bartonella bacilliformis
Bartonella bacilliformis is a proteobacterium, Gram negative aerobic, pleomorphic, flagellated, motile, coccobacillary, 2–3 μm large and 0.2–0.5 μm wide and facultative intracellular bacterium.-History:...
, in his honor.
Youth and education
Alberto Barton Thompson was the third of nine brothers. His father was an English chemist, and his mother Augusta Thompson traveled to Peru in 1870.Alberto Barton did his primary studies in "Nuestra Señora de la O de Lima" and the high school at "Convictorio Peruano en Lima." He was admitted to San Marcos University and finished the medical school in 1900.
He received a grant for training in tropical diseases and bacteriology in the Tropical Medicine Institute of London and Edinburgh. He came back to Lima and was working like chief physician of medicine and laboratory section in Guadalupe Hospital. That was the place where he began his first research activities.
Bartonella
The discovery of Bartonella was made in 1905, when Barton was 33 years old of age. There was an outbreak between foreign workerForeign worker
A foreign worker is a person who works in a country other than the one of which he or she is a citizen. The term migrant worker as discussed in the migrant worker page is used in a particular UN resolution as a synonym for "foreign worker"...
s that traveled to La Oroya to participate in the construction of the Oroya-Lima railway. Most of the workers were transferred to Guadalupe Hospital and died victims of the rare disease characterized by fever and severe anemia.
Fourteen patients with anemia and fever were studied by Barton. He discovered bacillus on their red blood cells. If the patients recovered of the acute phase, the bacillus changed of shape to cocoids and if the patients developed warts, the bacteria disappeared from the peripheric blood.
On October 5, 1905, during a scientific meeting, he announced his discovery.
The first manuscript was published in 1909 in the journal Crónica Médica. In 1913, Richard Strong
Richard Strong
Richard Strong was an English Liberal politician.Strong was born at St Giles, London, the son of a flour factor of Mark Lane, London. He became a J.P. for Surrey, and a governor of Dulwich College....
of Harvard University arrived in Peru to study the tropical diseases in South America. Strong confirmed Barton's discovery and named the bacteria Bartonia in honor of Barton; the bacterial species was subsequently named Bartonella bacilliformis.
Barton also studied Paragonimiasis
Paragonimiasis
Paragonimiasis is a food-borne parasitic infection caused by the lung fluke, most commonly Paragonimus westermani. It infects an estimated 22 million people worldwide. It is particularly common in East Asia. More than 30 species of trematodes of the genus Paragonimus have been reported which...
, Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites that belong to the genus Leishmania and is transmitted by the bite of certain species of sand fly...
, and Brucellosis
Brucellosis
Brucellosis, also called Bang's disease, Crimean fever, Gibraltar fever, Malta fever, Maltese fever, Mediterranean fever, rock fever, or undulant fever, is a highly contagious zoonosis caused by ingestion of unsterilized milk or meat from infected animals or close contact with their secretions...
. He had a son named Hugo Andres Vizcarra Barton, born August 17, 1999.
Awards
He was decorated with the "Orden del Sol de la Nación" in Peru for his research and was elected President of the National Academy of Medicine. Subsequently he was the first Doctor Honoris Causa of San Marcos University in 1925.He died on October 25, 1950, at the age of 80.